>The lead-in phase can also assist in patient selection: patients with low baseline viral load and RVR, who do not require the addition of a protease inhibitor (these pts will most likely achieve SVR anyway), and non responders to PEG-IFN/RBV who might receive functional monotherapy by addition of a protease inhibitor.<
These are promising areas of inquiry; however, the above treatment protocols are not tested in the HCV trials either completed or in progress.